Great War Theatre

Examiner of Plays' Summary:

This is a spy-play more than usually original in its sketch of the discovery and betrayal of a German spy by his deceived English wife and by a female English detective, whom he is trying to make his mistress. At the moment when the two women have their big scene-a-faire together, the scoundrel whom one of them has really loved, is on the point of a wholesale murder by the aid of his nitro-glycerine invention. The lady-detective warns the police just in time and the spy meets with his deserts. Recommended for license. Ernest A. Bendall.

Licensed On: 1 Apr 1915

License Number: 3278

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Genre(s):

British Library Reference: LCP1915/7

British Library Classmark: Add MS 66093 I

Performances

Date Theatre Type
19 Apr 1915 Coliseum, London Professional Licensed Performance
Read Narrative
The play was performed here until around 10 May 1915. It was performed by Leslie Carter; Athene Seyler; Thomas Sidney; and Lena Ashwell. The strong female characters of the play and strong performances from female performers were praised.: "Miss Lena Ashwell is to be welcomed on another visit to the variety stage, especially as the piece which she brings has a considerable topical interest, and provides her with opportunities for the display of her histrionic gifts [...] a woman burning with a fierce desire to do something to avenge the sufferings of those who are fighting on the Continent for the "stay at homes" of all descriptions" (The Stage, 22 April 2015). In another review: "to say the least, it is refreshing to have a war sketch without any death agonies on the stage [...] Miss Lena Ashwell makes the most of her part of a courageous Englishwoman but for whose timely intervention the entire Government would have been annihilated. The acting is certainly a more real affair than the play." (Western Mail, 21 April 1915) Performed alongside: 'Robert le Diable' by Meyerbeer; 'A dancing Lesson' (Emilie Hayes); Jewel song from 'Faust' (G.H. Elliott); 'The Grumblers' (Lois Barker and Percy Tarling); 'Judged by Appearances' (featuring James Welch); Suzanne Sheldon (recitations); the McNaughtons; the Cyolev Buffoons; Auber